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The GW Hatchet

AN INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING THE GW COMMUNITY SINCE 1904

The GW Hatchet

Serving the GW Community since 1904

The GW Hatchet

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Officials to create COVID testing standby line, accept external PCR tests

Experts+said+rising+infections+may+create+challenges+for+universities+trying+to+contain+COVID-19+infections+this+fall%2C+but+GWs+vaccine+mandate+will+boost+the+communitys+resilience+against+the+Delta+variant.+
File Photo by Grace Hromin | Senior Photo Editor
Experts said rising infections may create challenges for universities trying to contain COVID-19 infections this fall, but GW’s vaccine mandate will boost the community’s resilience against the Delta variant.

Officials are creating a standby line for asymptomatic COVID-19 testing and will soon offer weekend symptomatic tests after students raised concerns about appointment availability.

Administrators said the new standby line at the Foggy Bottom asymptomatic testing trailer will be available for individuals with an “urgent” need to access campus who could not make an appointment. Officials are offering 2,600 asymptomatic coronavirus testing appointments per day.

“The standby line is not a replacement to making an appointment,” officials wrote in the email. “If you access the standby line, please be prepared to wait longer than you normally would for a routine surveillance test.”

The announcement to expand coronavirus testing comes after students said they faced extended delays for scheduling appointments. The University doubled its testing requirement for vaccinated individuals earlier this month, requiring students to be tested every 15 days to continue accessing campus.

Officials also announced students can now submit external PCR test results in lieu of using GW’s in-house testing center.

For GW to accept the test results, officials said students should submit results in the Colonial Health Center portal no later than two days before their next required test date. The external lab must be approved by federal health officials under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments, and officials will not accept rapid antigen tests.

Officials said symptomatic testing at the CHC will soon include weekend hours, but it remains unclear when the expanded hours will go into effect.

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